Music: {allcanada} Panthers gain in race with win against Maple Leafs

Thursday, March 26, 2015

{allcanada} Panthers gain in race with win against Maple Leafs

Brad Pitt / Britney Spears / Colin Farrell / Angelina Jolie

TORONTO -- The Florida Panthers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 at Air Canada Centre on Thursday.

The Panthers (34-26-14) moved within three points of the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

Ottawa lost to the New York Rangers 5-1 on Thursday, and Boston lost in overtime to the Anaheim Ducks 3-2.

The Maple Leafs (27-42-6) have lost seven in a row and host the Senators on Saturday.

The Panthers took a 2-0 second-period lead when left wing Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman Steven Kampfer scored 30 seconds apart.

Huberdeau scored his second goal in as many games, 13th of the season, at 4:23 on a high shot to the glove side of Toronto goalie Jonathan Bernier.

Kampfer's sharp-angle slap shot beat Bernier on the short side at 4:53.

Brandon Pirri made it 3-0 at 14:34 with a low wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle in the Toronto zone that beat Bernier through the five-hole. It was Pirri's 19th goal in 41 games and 10th in his past 13.

The Maple Leafs replaced Bernier with backup James Reimer following the goal.

Sam Carrick ended Roberto Luongo's shutout at 9:13 of the third period with his first NHL goal when he took a pass from defenseman Morgan Rielly, who made an end-to-end rush.

Pirri scored an empty-net goal with 1:36 remaining.

Toronto's No. 1 line of Tyler Bozak, Phil Kessel and James van Riemdsyk, which has struggled, combined for six shots on goal in the first period, 13 in the game.

Dale Earnhardt Jr / Daytime Soap Operas / Fashion Models